Watertown man sent to prison for home invasion robbery attempt

A town of Brownville man was sentenced Monday in Jefferson County Court to three years in state prison for his role in an attempted home invasion robbery on McClelland Street in August.

Patrick M. Booth, 31, also will have to undergo five additional years of supervision upon his release for a March 15 guilty plea to second-degree attempted robbery. He and three others had been charged with entering the 329 McClelland St. residence of Glenn M. and Sabrina L. Gallo on Aug. 8 and forcibly stealing property. Police said at the time that the Gallos were threatened with large pieces of wood and a knife, and that a television and cash were stolen.

Mr. Booth was sentenced Monday as a second felony offender, having served about seven months in prison in 2008 for fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. Martin S. Coughlin, 43, has been sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree attempted burglary in connection with the incident at the Gallo residence. Ryan R. Hardy, 29, pleaded guilty April 6 to third-degree burglary and was sentenced to an unspecified amount of time served at the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building, while Daniel E. Keruskie pleaded guilty April 25 to third-degree robbery and admitted a probation violation. He is expected to be sentenced May 18 to 1½ to 3 years in prison.

In other court activity Monday, Linda A. Hurd, 39, Watertown, was sentenced to five years probation and was ordered to pay $5,657 in restitution for a March 26 guilty plea to first-degree scheme to defraud. She admitted that from August to November she wrote checks on a closed account to numerous businesses.

In court activity Friday:

Richard J. Gebo, 41, was sentenced to 2½ to 5 years in prison for an April 16 guilty plea to second-degree criminal mischief and a concurrent 2- to 4-year term for a guilty plea the same day to fourth-degree grand larceny. Judge Kim H. Martusewicz will mandate that he be sentenced to the prison systems Willard Drug Rehabilitation Program. If an inmate completes the 90-day program, he serves the remainder of his sentence under parole supervision.

Mr. Gebo admitted that on March 19, 2011, he cut a hole in a steel fence at Walmart Supercenter in the town of LeRay, a move police said at the time that he made to help him avoid detection as he shoplifted a computer. He also admitted that on Jan. 24 he stole more than $1,000 worth of merchandise from Home Depot, 391 College Heights.

Mr. Gebo was sent to prison in August 2003 for fourth-degree grand larceny, in December 2006 for attempted third-degree robbery and in August 1996 for grand larceny and possession of stolen property, according to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision website. His most recent discharge from prison was in August 2010.

In other court activity:

Mark B. Rog, 36, of Fenton, Broome County, was sentenced to two to four years in prison for April 9 guilty pleas to second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, first-degree identity theft and second-degree forgery. He was accused of cashing a $160 check drawn on the account of Tracie L. Winnett without her permission and of using a stolen debit card to make a purchase in the town of Cape Vincent.

Estella A. Carnegie, 58, Clayton, was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay $41,309 in restitution for March 12 guilty pleas to fourth-degree grand larceny and first-degree falsifying business records. She admitted that from Jan. 8, 2008, to Jan. 4, she made false entries into the books of the Thousand Islands Printing Co., Alexandria Bay, to make it appear refunds were being issued to customers when she actually was pocketing the money.

James D. Wisner, 21, Mannsville, was sentenced to an unspecified amount of time served at the PSB and three years probation for March 16 guilty pleas to second-degree criminal trespass and petit larceny. Additional information was not available from the court.

Albert C. Whiting, 53, Watertown, was sentenced to time served at the PSB and a one-year conditional discharge for a March 14 guilty plea to forcible touching. He admitted that on Jan. 2 he had unwanted sexual contact with a 48-year-old woman in Watertown.

Joseph J. Luia, 26, Watertown, pleaded guilty to third-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon and admitted violating probation. He admitted that he attempted to possess a 45-caliber handgun Nov. 29 in Watertown and that he violated probation by committing the new crime. He was sentenced in August to five years probation for third-degree attempted burglary and third-degree assault convictions. He is expected to be sentenced June 4 to 1½ to 3 years in prison.

Paul T. Taylor Jr., 31, Lowville, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and is expected to be sentenced June 27 to three years probation. He admitted that he caused physical injury to Michael Ennis on Dec. 10 in West Carthage.

Henry A. Saldana, 21, Watertown, pleaded guilty to felony driving while intoxicated and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He admitted that he drove while intoxicated Jan. 8 on State Street while his drivers license was suspended or revoked following a Dec. 14 conviction for misdemeanor DWI in LeRay Town Court. He is expected to be sentenced June 25 to five years probation and be fined $2,000.

Heather-Robyn S. Peters, 17, Huntsville, Ala., formerly of Clayton, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal mischief. She admitted that on March 25 she destroyed clothing belonging to Makenzie L. Kelly in the town of Clayton. She paid $1,141 in restitution and is due to be sentenced July 16.

Christopher A. Young, 60, Watertown, pleaded guilty to two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and is due to be sentenced June 25. He admitted that on March 18 he possessed a debit card that had been stolen from Irene Stackel, Black River, and that on March 16 he possessed a debit card stolen from Sarah M. Johnson, Adams. He also admitted using both cards to make unauthorized purchases.

Katrina K. Walters, 32, Watertown, pleaded guilty to fifth-degree welfare fraud and was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge. She had been charged in November with stealing more than $3,000 from the Department of Social Services by receiving benefits to which she was not entitled by failing to disclose she was receiving state unemployment insurance benefits. She was ordered Friday to pay $4,989 in restitution in the form of a civil judgment.

Hakeem M. Williams, 22, Fort Drum, pleaded guilty to petit larceny. He entered his plea using a partial Alford plea, meaning he did not admit to all of the underlying facts in the case, but was pleading guilty to avoid the chance of being convicted of a more serious offense at trial. He was charged Sept. 4, along with others, of stealing a wallet from a man on North Massey Street. Mr. Williams denied that he ever possessed the stolen wallet, but admitted that someone in his group did. He is expected to be sentenced June 20 to a conditional discharge and be ordered to perform community service.

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